Photo by, Ivan Chudakov
POWDER ALERT- SIERRA DUMP EXTENDING INTO THE ROCKIES MID WEEK
SYNOPSIS: Heavy snow is on tap for much of the West this week including the Sierra where we are issuing a Heavy Powder Alert Wednesday-Friday. The Cascades will see light to occasional moderate snow through Wednesday (Snow levels start around 4500 feet and lower by Wednesday. Colorado is currently reaping snowfall (2-5) over the resorts closest to Denver (Eldora, Winter Park , A Basin, Loveland). This will taper off late today. DEEP snow will move over the Rockies by the middle to end of this week.
DETAILS: The northern Sierra will see light to moderate dense snow (warm temps) as early as tonight continuing into Wednesday (Part 1 of the storm). Snowfall will increase significantly Wednesday into Thursday with colder temps, and significant accumulations by Thursday afternoon (14-24 inches). Snowfall will extend as far south as Mammoth with lighter amounts. Chases might include any of the resorts from Kirkwood to Squaw for Wednesday PM or Thursday AM. Moderate to strong winds will create drifting.
The action moves into the Tetons, southern Montana, Central Idaho, Wasatch and Colorado Wednesday night into Friday. Light snow is likely as early as Tuesday PM under warm temperatures (Tetons, Montana, Wasatch). Snowfall intensity will increase Wednesday and Thursday with early guesses of 14-22 inches in the Northern Wasatch (Snowbasin, Powder Mountain) and 15-18 further south (Little and Big Cottonwood). Park City area mountains can also fare well under SW flow (7-12). Densities will be heavy early, turning to medium by Thursday and pure fluff by Friday as the cold front sags south (Most moisture will be on the decrease Friday). Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole will also see 3 day storm totals in the 9-14 inch range. Early snow totals will be very variable depending on elevation. Cold air filters in later in the storm.
Colorado will see snowfall begin in the north by Wednesday morning. Intensity will increase Wednesday night and Thursday with the central and northern mountains favored. Energy might favor spots from Crested Butte to Aspen, including Steamboat, Beaver Creek and areas to the West. The San Juan’s will see moderate snowfall especially Thursday as energy pushes south (Silverton, Durango favored with Wolf Creek as a wildcard). Areas of Summit county might do best later in the storm cycle (Thursday-Friday) as winds shift to the North).
Snow will taper some on Friday over the Wasatch and Colorado and pick up again on Saturday with another wave of energy that will bring light to moderate amounts and colder temperatures through Sunday.
Bottom Line: This is our first Powder Alert in more than 2 weeks. The Headlines will be “Sierra Dump” by Thursday so lets bring back the skis and boards and get back into winter mode. It will be deep! Please support our newest sponsor Jans Mountain Outfitters who are linkable here or from our homepage.
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